Finland beats Denmark after Christian Eriksen’s collapse

Joel Pohjanpalo scored and Lukas Hradecky saved a penalty to give Finland a 1-0 victory over Denmark on Saturday in a European Championship game overshadowed by Christian Eriksen's collapse on the field.

The game was suspended for about 90 minutes after Eriksen needed urgent medical treatment near the end of the first half before being taken to a hospital. The Danish soccer federation said Eriksen was awake and in stable condition.

When play resumed, Pohjanpalo put Finland ahead against the run of play in the 60th minute when he rose above Joakim Maehle to head home a cross from Jere Uronen. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel got his hands on the ball but couldn't keep it out.

Denmark dominated most of the game and was handed a penalty when Yussuf Poulsen went down under a challenge from Paulus Arajuuri. But Hradecky dived to his left to stop a tame effort from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the 74th.

Finland was making its debut at a major tournament but what should have been the biggest win in the country's soccer history was completely overshadowed by

Eriksen's medical emergency.

Denmark had dominated the first half until the incident, and forced three decent saves from Hradecky in the opening 20 minutes. Jones Wind first tried a hard shot from the edge of the area, before Hradecky tipped a header from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg over the bar and then palmed away a dipping long-distance shot from Eriksen in the 19th.

The Danes then failed to test Hradecky again until the penalty save.

Eriksen in stable condition, Euro 2020 match resumes

Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen was taken to a hospital Saturday after collapsing on the field during a match at the European Championship, leading to the game being suspended for more than 90 minutes.

The governing body of European soccer said Eriksen has been stabilized and the Danish soccer federation said he was awake.

"Christian Eriksen is awake and is undergoing further examinations at Rigshospitalet," the Danish federation wrote on Twitter.

Danish soccer federation director Peter Moeller said Eriksen got a "heart massage" while being treated on the field.

"He fell over and got help and heart massage on the field," Moeller told Danish public broadcaster DR. "He was fortunately awake when he left stadium."

The Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland had been halted in the 43rd minute with the score 0-0. It resumed at 8:30 p.m. local time and Finland eventually won 1-0.

UEFA said both teams had held an emergency meeting before deciding to continue playing. The players came back out onto the field to a huge ovation as they started warming up for a second time. Mathias Jensen replaced Eriksen in the Denmark lineup. Only a few minutes were played before a shorter-than-normal halftime break.

Eriksen was given urgent medical attention on the field for about 10 minute after collapsing near the end of the first half. He was then carried off on a stretcher. UEFA then announced the game had been suspended "due to a medical emergency."

Eriksen had just played a short pass when he fell face-forward onto the ground. His teammates immediately gestured for help and medics rushed onto the field. Eriksen was given chest compressions as his Denmark teammates stood around him in a shielding wall for privacy. Eriksen's partner, Sabrina Kvist Jensen, went onto the field and was comforted by Denmark captain Simon Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

The Finland players huddled by their bench and eventually walked off the field while the Inter Milan midfielder was still getting treatment, as did the referees.

Eriksen was eventually carried off to a loud ovation, with his teammates walking next to the stretcher.